Verbena plant named ‘Sunmaricoho’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Verbena  plant named ‘Sunmaricoho’, characterized by its compact, upright and mounding plant habit; moderately vigorous to vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; early and freely flowering habit; long flowering period; white-colored flowers that are held above and beyond the foliar plane; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Verbena hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SUNMARICOHO’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Verbenaplant, botanically known as Verbena hybrida, and hereinafter referred toby the name ‘Sunmaricoho’.

The new Verbena plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan. The objective ofthe breeding program is to create new compact, upright and moundingVerbena plants that are freely-branching and have white-colored flowers.

The new Verbena plant originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor in September, 2006 in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan of a proprietaryselection of Verbena hybrida identified as code number VW416, notpatented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection ofVerbena hybrida identified as code number 02H-11-2, not patented, as themale, or pollen, parent. The new Verbena plant was discovered andselected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progenyof the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environmentin Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan in October, 2007.

Asexual reproduction of the new Verbena plant by terminal cuttings in acontrolled environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan since October, 2007has shown that the unique features of this new Verbena plant are stableand reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Verbena have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may varysomewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperatureand light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Sunmaricoho’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Sunmaricoho’ as a new and distinct Verbenaplant:

-   -   1. Compact, upright and mounding plant habit.    -   2. Moderately vigorous to vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Freely branching habit.    -   4. Early and freely flowering habit.    -   5. Long flowering period.    -   6. White-colored flowers that are held above and beyond the        foliar plane.    -   7. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Verbena can be compared to plants of the female parentselection. Plants of the new Verbena differ primarily from plants of thefemale parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Verbena are more upright than and not as        trailing as plants of the female parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Verbena are more freely branching than        plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Verbena can be compared to plants of the male parentselection. Plants of the new Verbena differ primarily from plants of themale parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Verbena are more upright than and not as        trailing as plants of the male parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Verbena and the male parent selection        differ in flower color as plants of the male parent selection        have cream-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Verbena can be compared to plants of Verbena‘Sunmarivani’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 17,594. In side-by-sidecomparisons conducted in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan, plants of the newVerbena differed primarily from plants of ‘Sunmarivani’ in the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Verbena were more upright than and not as        trailing as plants of ‘Sunmarivani’.    -   2. Plants of the new Verbena were taller than and not as broad        as plants of ‘Sunmarivani’.    -   3. Plants of the new Verbena had slightly smaller leaves than        plants of ‘Sunmarivani’.    -   4. Plants of the new Verbena were more freely flowering than        plants of ‘Sunmarivani’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Verbena plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Verbena.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective viewof a typical flowering plant of ‘Sunmaricoho’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of atypical inflorescence of ‘Sunmaricoho’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations andmeasurements describe plants grown during the late spring and earlysummer in 15-cm containers in an outdoor nursery in Higashiomi, Shiga,Japan under commercial practices typical of commercial Verbenaproduction. During the production of the plants, day temperaturesaveraged 23° C. and night temperatures averaged 13° C. Plants were fourmonths old when the photographs and description were taken. In thefollowing description color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Verbena hybrida ‘Sunmaricoho’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Verbena            hybrida identified as code number VW416, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary seedling selection of            Verbena hybrida identified as code number 02H-11-2, not            patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By terminal cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots.—About 10 to 14 days at 20° C. to 25°            C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About four weeks at            20° C. to 25° C.        -   Root description.—Fibrous; white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Compact, upright and mounding growth            habit; freely branching habit with numerous lateral branches            developing per plant; pinching enhances lateral branch            development; moderately vigorous to vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 22.8 cm.        -   Plant diameter.—About 39.8 cm.-   Lateral branch description:    -   -   Length.—About 16.8 cm.        -   Diameter.—About 2 mm.        -   Internode length.—About 3.3 cm.        -   Strength.—Strong.        -   Aspect.—Upright to semi-upright.        -   Texture.—Densely pubescent.        -   Color.—Close to 143C.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.        -   Length.—About 3.7 cm.        -   Width.—About 2.3 cm.        -   Shape.—Ovate.        -   Apex.—Broadly acute.        -   Base.—Cuneate.        -   Margin.—Serrate.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Densely pubescent.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; reticulate.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 143C.            Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 143D. Fully            expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137C; venation,            close to 145C. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close            to 138B; venation, close to 145C.        -   Petiole.—Length: About 5.1 cm. Diameter: About 1.6 mm.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper            and lower surfaces: Close to 145C.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement and flowering habit.—Single salverform            flowers arranged in hemispherical terminal racemes; flowers            face mostly upright; freely flowering habit with about 23            flowers per inflorescence and about 27 inflorescences            developing per plant.        -   Natural flowering season.—Early flowering habit, plants            begin flowering about four weeks after planting; long            flowering period, plants flower continuously from spring to            late autumn in Japan.        -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about one week on the plant;            flowers not persistent.        -   Fragrance.—Fragrant, pleasant.        -   Inflorescence height.—About 3.8 cm.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 5.9 cm.        -   Flowers.—Appearance: Flared trumpet, corolla fused,            five-parted. Diameter: About 2 cm. Depth (height): About            2.4 cm. Tube length: About 2.1 cm. Tube diameter,            mid-section: About 1.3 mm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.5 cm. Diameter: About 2.6 mm.            Shape: Clavate. Color: Close to NN155A.        -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Single whorl of five fused petals.            Petal length: About 8.8 mm. Petal width: About 8 mm. Petal            lobe shape: Cordate. Petal lobe apex: Emarginate. Petal            margin: Entire. Petal texture, upper and lower surfaces:            Smooth, glabrous. Tube texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color:            Petal, when opening, upper and lower surfaces: Close to            NN155D. Petal, fully opened, upper and lower surfaces: Close            to NN155D. Throat: Close to 145D. Tube: Close to 145D.        -   Calyx.—Arrangement: One single narrow calyx tube per flower            with five fused sepals. Sepal length: About 1 mm. Sepal            width: About 0.8 mm. Sepal shape: Deltoid. Sepal apex:            Acute. Sepal margin: Entire. Sepal texture, upper and lower            surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Sepal color, upper and lower            surfaces: Close to 144A to 144D.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 6.8 cm. Diameter: About 1.2 mm.            Strength: Strong. Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to 143C.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity and arrangement: Four            per flower, adnate to corolla tube. Anther shape:            Ellipsoidal. Anther length: About 0.8 mm. Anther color:            Close to 143C and 144C. Pollen amount: None observed.            Pistils: Quantity: One per flower. Pistil length: About            1.8 cm. Stigma shape: Bi-parted. Stigma color: Close to            144B. Style color: Close to 144C. Ovary color: Close to            144C. Fruits and seeds: Fruit and seed development have not            been observed on plants of the new Verbena.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Verbena have been observed to    have good garden performance and to tolerate wind, rain and    temperatures ranging from about 0° C. to about 35° C.-   Pathogen/pest resistance: Plants of the new Verbena have not been    observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Verbena    plants.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Verbena plant named ‘Sunmaricoho’as illustrated and described.